Plains game, .30cal or 70lb bow

[Mauser78]

Hi all,

Lets say you shoot bow and rifle equally good or bad for that matter.

With which one would you feel most comfortable with taking a PG Safari, including Eland,

Make of bullet, broadhead, bullet weight and arrow weight is up to you. What will it be?

Lets keep the magnum .30' out, up to 30-06.

 

[postoak]

To me, sitting in a blind with a bow isn't the quintessential Africa hunting experience. I'd not do it if it were an either or situation

 

[enysse]

I'd feel pretty comfortable with my Winchestor Model 70 Super Grade, 7mm Rem Mag with 160 Swift A Frame bullets.

As far as bowhunting, I like my thunderhead 100 grain broadheads with good carbon arrows.

 

[Mauser78]

Sorry my bad, I don't want to go into tipes of hunting, blinds, walk n stalk ex.
My question is more about killing power, bloodtrails and a quick death.

 

[Mauser78]

I personally feel a marginal shot with a bow is a much easier recovery than the same shot with a gun, just my feeling, maybe with a gun one tends to put one self in trouble taking shots that you will not do with a bow, relying on the gun and not on shot placement I know I did before.

 

[Diamondhitch]

I personally feel a marginal shot with a bow is a much easier recovery than the same shot with a gun, just my feeling, maybe with a gun one tends to put one self in trouble taking shots that you will not do with a bow, relying on the gun and not on shot placement I know I did before.

If we are talking poor shots then bow always wins. I am always amazed at how a poor shot with a bow turns into a recovered animal, rifle not so much. But then if we are going to go there then 30-06, .375, .460, or .243 are all equally bad when you shoot critters in the wrong spot. There is no caliber restriction on bad shooting and no magic caliber that brings them down quickly with the classic gut shot.

 

[Bobpuckett]

Well for me I'm sticking with the rifle and its not because I don't Bow hunt because I do with both compound and crossbow. In 48 years of hunting I've never lost an animal to a rifle, came close with my Vaalie but he was recovered a few days later by the farm hands. However I have lost deer to a bow a good shot 15 yards in the pocket with only the fletching sticking out as I watched it run off never to be found.
On this trip to Africa a friend of mine whos name I'll not mention booked his hunt at the same time, he hunts with a Mathews on the first night in camp he ask me, Bob you hunt with a bow why don't you bring it in stead of a rifle? and I told him the story of the deer, the very next morning he shot a Blue wildebeest at 20 yards with his bow. Now try to imagine shooting a animal that runs in a herd and follow the blood trail that has just been ran over by a couple hundred other Blue Wildebeest needless to say no animal was recovered. so my recommendation is the 30-06 which is what my wife loves to shoot with a good quality bullet such as the Barnes X in a 180gr its good for all plains game with out having to worry about Africa min. cal. requirements. and enjoy the hunt. Bob

 

[Mauser78]

Well i started realizing when i booked hunts, not once when i booked a bow hunt have the farmer asked me anything about up to what size of animal we want or what kind of equipment we use. How ever if i book on "rifle" farms those questions are being asked.

In turn i asked the farmers what they prefer. Most says Financially it is better for them since more animals are taken in a group with rifles. But they get less lost animals with bows.

 

[Bobpuckett]

Well i started realizing when i booked hunts, not once when i booked a bow hunt have the farmer asked me anything about up to what size of animal we want or what kind of equipment we use. How ever if i book on "rifle" farms those questions are being asked.

In turn i asked the farmers what they prefer. Financially it is better for them since more animals are taken in a group with rifles. But they get less lost animals with bows.

:laughing: No doubt, since most hunting bows are 60lbs and better and I have heard of hunters showing up for an Eland hunts packing a .223 and thats why most farmers ask, as well as you don't require permits for a bow but a farmer must state on your letter of Invitation that the rifle you are bringing is large enough for the game you intend to hunt.
Maybe its just my way of thinking but in a blind unless your hunting a very small property the animals will be baited in or if its a dry season they'll come in to water but you'll have a limited amount of animals to see and some of those aren't going to be on your list which means limited chances of what your looking for which also means a limited amount of shots and a limited amount of tracking, and don't get me wrong this is in no way the case for everyone its just been my luck on hunts. the hunting equipement is strickly by hunters preference and you and only you know whats best for you what I would suggest is if you want to hunt with a bow then do so but leave yourself open for rifles as well most or all will have a rifle for loan or rent and I have known more then once for the hunt to change course in the middle of the hunt and theres nothing wrong with that as well. Its all about enjoying the hunt not just the taking of game.

 

[enysse]

Well, I hope to find out how deadly a bow is someday.
A bow is a different weapon and I hunt with muzzleloaders too. My personal opinion is nothing is more lethal than a finely tuned rifle.